Social Security earnings limit when filing at 64 for medical reasons - when does tracking begin?

they only count earnings aftr u start gettin benefits. so if u apply in july only the money u make after ur first check starts counting toward the limit. happened to my brother last year when he had to retire early cuz of his back

To clarify the Social Security earnings test rules: SSA only counts earnings received after you become entitled to benefits. If you file in July 2025, only your earnings from the month you start receiving benefits through December will count toward the annual earnings limit for that year. And yes, they count gross wages before any deductions (pre-tax), not your take-home pay. For 2025, the earnings limit for those under Full Retirement Age is approximately $22,320 per year (or about $1,860 monthly), though this amount increases slightly each year with inflation adjustments. If you earn over the limit, SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above the threshold. However, since you're applying partway through the year, they would prorate the annual limit for just the months you're receiving benefits.

I went through this exact situation last year when I had to start my benefits at 63. Something important to remember - they count when you EARN the money, not when you receive it. I had some vacation pay and a small bonus that was paid out after I started benefits, but since I earned it before my benefit start date, it didn't count toward my earnings limit. Also, if you're stopping work completely before starting benefits, you might want to look into the "grace year" rule. In the first year you retire, you can get a full benefit payment for any month you earn under the monthly limit ($1,860 in 2025) regardless of your total earnings for the year. This helped me a lot since I had already earned over the annual limit before I retired.

The earnings limit is sooooo complicated! I filed at 62 and tried to work part-time, but I kept getting these SCARY letters from Social Security saying I went over the limit. Turns out I misunderstood how they calculate it and they reduced my benefits for THREE MONTHS because I went over by just $840! I spent HOURS on the phone trying to reach someone at SSA to explain it to me, but kept getting disconnected or waiting forever. FINALLY found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that connected me to an SSA agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent explained everything and helped me adjust my reported earnings estimate so I wouldn't have surprise reductions. Definitely worth checking out if you need to actually talk to someone at SSA!

DONT TRUST what SSA tells you over the phone!!!! I got 3 DIFFERENT answers from 3 different agents about the earnings limit last year. One said they count all income including rental property (WRONG), another said only wages count but not self-employment (ALSO WRONG), and the third gave me the right info. If I had trusted the first two I would have made bad decisions!!!! Make them email you the policy or find it on SSA.gov

When I applied early at 65 due to health issues (cancer treatment), I was so worried about the earnings limit. My situation was slightly different because I planned to continue freelance work during treatment. Here's what I learned: 1. SSA only counts earnings from the month you START receiving benefits toward the annual limit 2. For employees, they count GROSS wages (before taxes/deductions) 3. For self-employment, they count NET earnings (after business expenses) 4. They will ask you to ESTIMATE your earnings for the year when you apply 5. At tax time, they'll compare your actual earnings to your estimate If you're planning to work part-time, make sure to keep your estimated earnings updated with SSA if your situation changes. This prevents overpayments that you'd have to pay back later. And regarding medical issues - if your condition is severe enough, have you considered applying for SSDI instead of early retirement? The benefit might be higher, and there's no earnings limit once you reach full retirement age.

Yes, the SSDI process is definitely more involved than retirement benefits. You'll need medical documentation showing your condition prevents substantial gainful activity (earning more than $1,550/month in 2025). The approval process can take 3-24 months depending on whether you get approved initially or need appeals. If you can still work part-time and earn under that amount, you might qualify. But if your retirement benefits would start soon anyway and you can manage with the earnings limit until FRA, early retirement might be simpler. Consider talking to an attorney who specializes in disability claims - many offer free consultations to determine if you have a case worth pursuing.

To address your initial question about the precise timing: When you submit your application in July 2025, you'll select the month you want benefits to begin (could be July, August, or even retroactive up to 6 months, but not before age 62). Only earnings after your entitlement month count toward the limit. For example, if you choose August 2025 as your start month: - January-July 2025 earnings: Don't count toward limit - August-December 2025 earnings: Count toward a prorated annual limit The 2025 monthly limit is projected to be around $1,860, so your prorated limit for 5 months would be approximately $9,300 as you calculated. Stay under that amount from August-December, and you'll receive full benefits for those months. One more tip: Benefits are paid the month after they're due. So August benefits arrive in September, which sometimes confuses people tracking their earnings.

That's exactly right. The earnings limit is based on when you're entitled to benefits, not when you receive the payment. So if your entitlement starts in August, you start counting August earnings even though you won't see that first payment until September. It might help to think of it this way: you're entitled to August benefits that get paid in September. The earnings limit applies to the entitlement month (August), not the payment month. Another tip from my experience - keep a very detailed record of all your earnings after your benefits start. I created a simple spreadsheet showing my weekly pay and running total to make sure I stayed under the limit. It gave me peace of mind knowing exactly where I stood each month.